Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-10-24

COuld IL nave entered ner mlnQ F! one
would put it from her.
But she could not bid it 90. 1t al
came to her being sent to this dull
place, she told herself No wonder
she was in the blues. All! if she
only could get back to town. She
would even smile on Lord Liscombe
to purchase relief.
"The harvest of the earth is ripe. "
The voice that was to sound was
sounding even now in her soul, in
secret and in silence.
'Izset," said General Durant to
his sister on the following morning,
as he folded up a letter he had just
leen reading, and placed it on the
heakfast-table "Allan has arrived
in England he will be here to-day"
May Haworth knew who was
meant. The expected visitor was
General Durant's brothers son, there
fore her own second cousin. She had
not seen him since she was child,
but heard that he had distinguished
himself in the late war, and felt
a little afraid of him. His coming
would cause a diversion, however
vary the monotony of existence, and
save her from thought. Upon the
whole, she was glad.
When she descenhed to dinner that
day gentleman stood beside her un-
cle's chair. He turned, and she was
introduced to her cousin, Major Du-
rant.
He was over thirty, with bronzed
well-cut features, and a
strong, soldiery bearing. May felt
at once she had found her ideal.
After dinner he sat beside her at
a little table apart, and began turn
ing over some family photographs.
"Do you love the country" he
asked then added, little awkward
ly, ''You are a cousin, you know; /
suppose L may call you by your
'EIt is lonely" she answered evas-
ivelv, not inclined to accord too much
privilege at this early stage.
''It is lovely y he said. 81 tho't
how grand it looked in its harvest
glory as l came along last evening"
''Last EVENING""
eyes, / came last night but don t
tell my uncle. You see, | am trust
ing you with secret already in right
cousinly confidence, | put up at the
village inn l did not want to burst
In upon my uncle before Jne IeUJer nau
me. Besides, | had an
other reason"
He did not say what it was, and
May dld not ask. She was wonder
ing how it was they had not seen him
on his arrival, when he went on, with
a little amused smile
II saw you before you saw me,
'comin' thro' the rye, or rather the
barley. l knew by intuition that you
were something to me, and took a
good look at you as you came on to-
wards a rustic bridge which crosses
stream near the road"
''And you were there? ?"
1t was all the self-possessed lady
Of ton could get out. She felt her.
self coloring as a recollection of the
soul-trouble of the day before came
back. Then it would have a voice,
and she said in a hushed tone
Il was thinking of another har-
vest"
"And you were frightened. Poor
chiId?'
There was a great deal in the tone
that answered her. 1t was apprecia-
tion-gentle, almost tender. May
bent her head as before some new
power.
He often talked to her after that,
sometimes in a language which she
could with difficulty understand. She
liked to hear him-ah, that is too
cold a word she loved to hear him
speak. But little response she made.
She was honest, and would not go
beyond herself; moreover, she doubt
ed his motives. So she gave herself
up, as well she might, to the pleas
ure of riding and walking with her
new companion, and the country was
no longer dull.
At last there came day when she
mad to say to him, 81 must 60 back
10 town."
"To what ?" he inquired ''to the
Did life p
She longed to tell him the old life
lad lost its charm that she had
earned of something better far-a
higher service, a nobler aim. But
what would he think of such a con-
'ession? Might it not seem as if she
wanted to win him? Dare she seek to
win him, knowing what her mother
would feel and do? All this flashed
through her mind in an instant.
Masking her feeling, she answered
lightly, in true womanlike fashion,
1T may be so"
He looked at her for a moment,
hen turned away. His eyes roved
'ver the stubby fields beneath them,
'or they stood on a bend of the road
above.
1.-The Harvestis being gathered in, .
le said, as if speaking to himself,